Proverbs 20–21

²⁰Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,

and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.^*

²The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;

anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.^*

³It is honorable to refrain from strife,

but every fool is quick to quarrel.^*

⁴The lazy person does not plow in season;

harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.^*

⁵The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,

but the intelligent will draw them out.^*

⁶Many proclaim themselves loyal,

but who can find one worthy of trust?^*

⁷The righteous walk in integrity—

happy are the children who follow them!^*

⁸A king who sits on the throne of judgment

winnows all evil with his eyes.

⁹Who can say, “I have made my heart clean;

I am pure from my sin”?^*

¹⁰Diverse weights and diverse measures

are both alike an abomination to the Lord.^*

¹¹Even children make themselves known by their acts,

by whether what they do is pure and right.^*

¹²The hearing ear and the seeing eye—

the Lord has made them both.^*

¹³Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;

open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.^*

¹⁴“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,

then goes away and boasts.

¹⁵There is gold and abundance of costly stones,

but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.

¹⁶Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;

seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.

¹⁷Bread gained by deceit is sweet,

but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel.^*

¹⁸Plans are established by taking advice;

wage war by following wise guidance.^*

¹⁹A gossip reveals secrets;

therefore do not associate with a babbler.^*

²⁰If you curse father or mother,

your lamp will go out in utter darkness.^*

²¹An estate quickly acquired in the beginning

will not be blessed in the end.^*

²²Do not say, “I will repay evil”;

wait for the Lord, and he will help you.^*

²³Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,

and false scales are not good.

²⁴All our steps are ordered by the Lord;

how then can we understand our own ways?^*

²⁵It is a snare for one to say rashly, “It is holy,”

and begin to reflect only after making a vow.^*

²⁶A wise king winnows the wicked

and drives the wheel over them.

²⁷The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord,

searching every inmost part.^*

²⁸Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,

and his throne is upheld by righteousness.^m*

²⁹The glory of youths is their strength,

but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.^*

³⁰Blows that wound cleanse away evil;

beatings make clean the innermost parts.

²¹The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

he turns it wherever he will.

²All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,

but the Lord weighs the heart.^*

³To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^*

⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart—

the lamp of the wicked—are sin.^*

⁵The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.^*

⁶The getting of treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a snareⁿ of death.^*

⁷The violence of the wicked will sweep them away

because they refuse to do what is just.^*

⁸The way of the guilty is crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is right.

⁹It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a contentious wife.^*

¹⁰The souls of the wicked desire evil;

their neighbors find no mercy in their eyes.^*

¹¹When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;

when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.^*

¹²The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he casts the wicked down to ruin.^*

¹³If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,

you will cry out and not be heard.^*

¹⁴A gift in secret averts anger,

and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.^*

¹⁵When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous

but dismay to evildoers.

¹⁶Whoever wanders from the way of understanding

will rest in the assembly of the dead.^*

¹⁷Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;

whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸The wicked is a ransom for the righteous

and the faithless for the upright.^*

¹⁹It is better to live in a desert land

than with a contentious and fretful wife.

²⁰Precious treasure remains^o in the house of the wise,

but the fool devours it.^*

²¹Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness

will find life^p and honor.^*

²²One wise person went up against a city of warriors

and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.^*

²³To watch over mouth and tongue

is to keep out of trouble.^*

²⁴The proud, haughty person, named Scoffer,

acts with arrogant pride.^*

²⁵The craving of the lazy person is fatal,

for lazy hands refuse to labor.^*

²⁶All day long the wicked covet,^q

but the righteous give and do not hold back.^*

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when brought with evil intent.^*

²⁸A false witness will perish,

but a good listener will testify successfully.

²⁹The wicked put on a bold face,

but the upright give thought to^r their ways.^*

³⁰No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the Lord.^*

³¹The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but the victory belongs to the Lord.^*